Summary
Both IP and domain reputation are critical for B2B email filtering and overall deliverability. Experts, marketers, and technical documentation emphasize that mailbox providers use these reputations to assess sender trustworthiness. A good IP reputation signals legitimacy, while a strong domain reputation confirms trust. These factors influence whether emails reach the inbox, are marked as spam, or are blocked entirely. While both are important, their specific weightings can vary based on the filter provider. Strategies like warming up new IPs, using older domains, and sending only to engaged users are essential for maintaining a positive reputation.
Key findings
- Dual Importance: Both IP and domain reputation are essential for B2B email filtering, though their relative importance can vary.
- Deliverability Impact: A positive sender reputation improves deliverability and engagement rates, while a bad one can lead to emails being bounced or filtered as spam.
- Trust Signals: Mailbox providers use IP and domain reputation as signals to determine if a sender is trustworthy.
- Non-Linearity: The relationship between reputation and deliverability is not always linear and can vary.
- Filtering Dependency: Sender reputation significantly impacts where emails are delivered—inbox or spam folder.
Key considerations
- IP Warm-up: Implement an IP warm-up strategy for new IPs to establish a positive sender reputation.
- Domain Age: Consider the age of both domain and IP addresses, as older ones often have a better-established reputation.
- Engagement: Focus on sending emails to engaged users to protect and enhance domain reputation.
- Filter Provider Variation: Be aware that different filter providers may weigh IP and domain reputation differently.
- Reputation Management: Proactively manage both IP and domain reputation to ensure optimal deliverability.
What email marketers say
8 marketer opinions
IP and domain reputation are critical factors in B2B email filtering and overall email deliverability. Mailbox providers use these reputations to assess sender trustworthiness, determining whether emails reach the inbox or are filtered as spam. Maintaining a good reputation for both IP address and domain significantly improves the chances of successful delivery. Warming up new IPs and using established domains can also help improve reputation.
Key opinions
- Key Factor: Domain reputation is a key factor determining email deliverability, helping mailbox providers identify trustworthy senders.
- IP Importance: IP address reputation plays a critical role in ensuring emails reach the inbox, signaling sender legitimacy.
- Combined Impact: Both IP and domain reputation significantly influence sender reputation, affecting deliverability rates.
- Deliverability Impact: Email reputation, based on IP and domain, greatly impacts the ability to reach the inbox, improving deliverability and engagement.
- Filtering Impact: A bad domain reputation can lead to emails being bounced or filtered as spam.
Key considerations
- IP Warm-up: Warming up new IP addresses is crucial to improve sender reputation, especially when starting new campaigns.
- Domain Age: Using older domains and IP addresses can positively affect email filtering systems when assessing sender reputation.
- Reputation Impact: Sender reputation significantly affects where emails are delivered, influencing whether they land in the inbox or spam folder.
Marketer view
Email marketer from GlockApps highlights that both IP and domain reputation are significant factors influencing sender reputation. These reputations impact deliverability rates, as mailbox providers use them to assess sender trustworthiness.
22 Nov 2022 - GlockApps
Marketer view
Email marketer from ExpertSender explains that the age of your domain and IP addresses are both important when email filtering systems assess your reputation. Starting with older domains and IPs will improve your reputation.
26 May 2024 - ExpertSender
What the experts say
4 expert opinions
Experts agree that both IP and domain reputation are important for B2B email filtering and deliverability. The exact proportions of importance may vary depending on the filter provider, and the relationship isn't linear. B2B filters evaluate domain and IP reputation in different ways. Maintaining a good reputation is essential for ensuring emails are accepted by recipient mail servers and delivered to engaged users.
Key opinions
- Dual Importance: Both IP and domain reputation matter for B2B email filtering.
- Variable Proportions: The relative importance of IP vs. domain reputation can vary by filter provider.
- Non-Linearity: The relationship between reputation and deliverability isn't straightforward.
- Different Evaluations: B2B filters assess domain and IP reputation using different methods.
- IP Reputation: IP reputation is critical for email deliverability, influencing acceptance or rejection.
- Domain Reputation: Domain reputation is important and needs protection by sending to engaged and real users.
Key considerations
- Filter Provider: Consider the specific filter providers used by your B2B recipients, as their weighting of IP vs. domain reputation may differ.
- Engagement: Focus on sending emails to engaged users to protect your domain reputation.
- Reputation Management: Actively manage both IP and domain reputation to ensure optimal email deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that domain reputation is important and should be protected by sending email to engaged and real users only.
5 Aug 2022 - Word to the Wise
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that B2B filters evaluate domain and IP reputation in different ways.
18 Oct 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
4 technical articles
Technical documentation from Microsoft, Google, RFC Editor, and Cisco Talos consistently emphasizes the importance of sender reputation, based on IP address and domain, in email filtering. Maintaining a good sender reputation is crucial for ensuring emails reach the inbox and avoiding being marked as spam or blocked. Senders with a history of unwanted mail face higher risks of deliverability issues.
Key findings
- Heavy Weighting: Microsoft Exchange Online heavily weights sender reputation during email filtering.
- Bulk Sender Necessity: Google Postmaster Tools states that good IP and domain reputation is crucial for bulk senders.
- Trustworthiness Assessment: RFC Editor describes sender reputation as an assessment of sender trustworthiness based on IP and domain, impacting delivery rates.
- Key Indicator: Cisco Talos identifies sender reputation as a key indicator for email deliverability, with poor reputation leading to blocking.
- Negative Impact: Senders with a history of unwanted mail risk messages being sent to the junk folder or blocked.
Key considerations
- Reputation Management: Proactively manage IP and domain reputation to avoid being flagged as a source of unwanted mail.
- Deliverability Monitoring: Monitor email deliverability metrics to identify and address any reputation-related issues promptly.
- Compliance: Adhere to email best practices and compliance requirements to maintain a positive sender reputation.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Postmaster Tools shares that maintaining a good IP and domain reputation is crucial for bulk senders. Google uses reputation signals to determine whether to deliver emails to the inbox, spam folder, or block them altogether.
27 Nov 2023 - Google Postmaster Tools
Technical article
Documentation from RFC Editor describes that sender reputation is an assessment of the trustworthiness of an email sender, based on various factors including IP address and domain. A higher reputation improves email delivery rates.
19 Aug 2021 - RFC-Editor.org
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